Need
by Zygella
Summary: Her smile. Her laugh. he never realized how much he yearned to see and hear them everyday at school. He could wait to hear them at school today. But it never came. Something is wrong with Marinette.
Her smile. He never really realized how much he looked forward to seeing it everyday at school. Out if the classmates he had, their smiles were nothing like hers. Hers was sweet, pure, radiant. Like the sun shining bright on the horizon on a crisp morning. A perfect reason to wake up from the depths of night.

Her laugh. It was always a sound that could cheer him up. Nothing had ever sounded so happy; something he yearned for. He, in reality, was jealous of how much she always seemed to have. By hearing it everyday, he too would share in its glory/

But not today.

 _Something is wrong with Marinette._ Alya's words hung thick in the air at their lunch break. Alya had joined Adrien and Nino while they were about to part ways for lunch. The worry on her face was enough to convince him cancelling his lunch plans was a good idea. He'd noticed something off about Marinette that morning, but now he was dead certain. He grew worried himself. Not a single smile, not a simple laugh had come from the awkward girl behind him. Nothing more than a downcast sigh ghosting across her slightly parted lips. It almost made Adrien shiver.

"She hasn't spoken all day, she hasn't responded much to my own talking, and she hasn't even smiled once. Do you know how hard it is to stop Marinette from smiling at least once? Something bad's happened. And I'm seriously worried. I need your help, I don't think she'll talk to me. She might try to weasel her way out of the situation. I need you two to come along so we can corner her if necessary."

Adrien agreed in a heartbeat, along with Nino. He called Nathalie to tell her he wouldn't be coming home for lunch and instead had to deal with an emergency. She didn't sound 100% okay but nonetheless agreed to let him go. The trio then headed down to the bakery, entering the small main area. What sounds fell on their ears next would be listed as sounds they'd never want to hear again.

The main area was empty, along with the emptiness of the space behind the counters. However, they could hear faint yelling coming from the living area upstairs. It sounded like a bad argument. The yelling suddenly stopped and the next thing the trio knew, Marinette was bolting out the front door in a blur, tears streaming down her face, and her mother emerging from the back.

"Marinette, wait!" Sabine called, desperation clear in her tone. Her eyes then fell upon the three friends and gasped. "Oh no, what did you hear?"

Alya spoke first. "Mrs. Cheng, what's going on? Marinette has been out of it for at least two days and we came to find out why! Now what was that, what just happened?"

Sabine looked down with sadness. "Marinette hasn't been on the best terms with us lately. She seems very stressed out and we just wanted to help, but she kept lashing out as us, and… we may have lashed back."

Adrien and Nino didn't know what to say. Alya, however, did. "So you noticed it too, huh? I guess it was also my fault. I tried to help too, but she pushed me away every time. Maybe our nagging was just making it worse." She turned to Adrien and Nino. "You two can go. I know Marinette. She's impossible to find when she doesn't want to be. We'll have to talk to her after lunch. I'll stay here with her parents."

The boys nodded and left. But it didn't stop Adrien from worrying about Marinette. She was his friend too, despite the ever-present awkwardness whenever they got into a conversation. He hoped she would be okay.

* * *

She didn't come back after lunch break. That knowledge sent a bolt of worry throughout Adrien's body. He exchanged glances with Nino and Alya, who shared his look of nervous panic.

Adrien had patrol with Ladybug later that day. Maybe he could visit Marinette after, just to see if she was alright.

* * *

Chat jumped from rooftop to rooftop, wanting to get to his Lady as quick as possible. While he didn't get the joy of seeing Marinette's smiling face, perhaps Ladybug's could lift his spirits. But it was not to be. His hopes were quickly crushed when he caught sight of her. She was crying.

"My Lady? What's wrong?" Chat asked worriedly, quickly sitting beside her as she sobbed.

"I j-just... Chat, I know I can't possibly have the nerve to complain about my current relations with my parents compared to what you're going through, but..." She faltered.

Chat Noir was hit was a sudden deja vu. "You're... having bad relations with your parents? _Just like Marinette._

She nodded miserably. "I've just been so stressed out lately, with this secret job, school, and that little jerk in my class who finds it funny to bully everyone. Bullying me is probably her favorite pass time. What's worse is my friends must know by now. They came over at lunch break and witnessed me fleeing in my tear-blinded glory. My mom must have told them everything..."

Chat was floored by all of her information. There was no way he could deny facts now, when it'd just been thrown at his face. Marinette was his Lady. The same blue eyes, the same hair, the voice, their strong personality... yet here she was, utterly defeated by life. _'Wait... bully? Chloe...'_

He growled. "What's Chloe been telling you Marinette? I swear I will give her a piece of my mind for having a play in your-" he clamped his mouth shut too late.

Ladybug's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Wh...what? D-did you just call me Marinette?"

He smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry, Bugaboo. You told me the exact same situation I found myself in this afternoon. My dear friend Marinette wasn't smiling and her best friend Alya was worried sick about her behavior. She asked Nino and I to help her find out what was wrong, so we went to your bakery and saw you running away."

Ladybug hiccuped, the dots not quite connected for her yet. "B-but... no one else was there except Alya, Nino, and-" She stopped dead. "A-adrien..."

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Hello, Marinette."

She launched herself backwards away from him, silently screaming. "You're Chat Noir?!"

He laughed. "The one and only, My Lady." His expression softened. "I'm glad it's you. I can't think of anyone else I'd want Ladybug to be."

She sniffled, letting her transformation drop. Chat found himself staring into the eyes of his dear, sweet classmate Marinette. He frowned at the sadness that swam in them. "How can you not be disappointed? Ladybug is clumsy, awkward, sad and broken Marinette. I never even wanted to be Ladybug at first."

Chat let his own transformation drop, and Adrien pulled her into a hug before she could react. "I don't understand why you put yourself down so much, Princess. Your low self-confidence worries me so. Please, promise me you won't listen to Chloe or ever doubt yourself so much again. Alya, Nino and your parents love you too much to see you this upset. _I_ love you too much to see you this upset."

Marinette gasped, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "Say that again, please..."

Adrien smiled, pulling away slightly to look her in the eye. "I love you, Marinette."

She began to tear up again, but not from sadness. She choked a smile, a watery smile growing on her face. "I love you too, Adrien."

Adrien smiled brightly, a smile to match her own. Finally, the smile he'd been waiting for all day. And he was the one who'd brought it to her beautiful face. He'd found out who his Lady was, she had been right in front of him this entire time.

As he leaned down to meet her in a kiss, the moon peeked out from behind the dark clouds. The light of life had returned.

* * *

 **Pfft idk what prompted me to write this. I gotta continue All Fallen Apart.**

 **R &R? -Zy**


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